Unbeknownst to most, Dubai has a pretty buzzing food culture that’s ebbs of the many expats that live there. This is truly an international city, with restaurants serving up dishes from Azerbaijan to New Zealand! From food trucks to local gems, there’s something for everyone. You’d love these 5 quirky restaurants in Dubai.
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1. Bookmunch cafe
This literary cafe in Business Bay Square is the first literary cafe in Dubai. It’s very kid friendly, and has a lot of options to try out. It has a large number of books and free wifi. If you want to work from here, it’s a lovely, bright and airy place you can eat at in the mornings. You need to try their jamaican chicken and coconut rice with pineapple; it’s delicious. They also have a really good sticky toffee pudding. Occasionally, they have open mic nights here as well. Not exactly an ideal place for dinner as they close early.
2. Moombai & Co
This Parsi-inspired bar/restaurant at the H hotel is all the rage in Dubai. It plays old-school Indian music and they have a great selection of cocktails many will love. You must savour their Aunties’ Brunch, where you can have a boozy chai martini with your eggs and keema paratha (a leavened Indian bread served with spiced minced lamb). The ambience that this restaurant provides is great; it leaves you with a ‘Bollywood experience’ – complete with dancing waiters, vintage movie posters and even a tiny rickshaw! They also have a small play area for the kids.
3. Carnival by Tresind
This whimsical restaurant in the DIFC area is on everyone’s hit list for those who enjoy fine dining with a bit of drama. The cuisine served is Indian, but all your senses will be mesmerised because you’ll find yourself engulfed in smoke, bubbles and more! It’s an intense dining experience that needs to be seen to be believed! The chef is extremely young and talented. You need to check out their sangria tree which is served at brunch.
4. Dusty’s
Brunch is huge in Dubai, so you must try this one. The airline themed brunch at Dusty’s is called Departures brunch and it’s got delicious food. All the waiters are dressed as cabin crew; they have amazing music and even more delicious food that you order a la carte. No cold buffet food here. They even come around and you can have some real fun playing various drinking games. Dusty’s serves international cuisine; from flatbread to aubergine lasagne. Doesn’t sound very appealing to you?Here are five more brunches you could try in Dubai.
5. Espana
This bar in Jumeirah Creekside hotel is nothing if not quirky! It has an upside down room and some really weird pieces of art all around. Everything is very Salvador Dali. The huge screens on the walls display the geography of Spain. Each section in this bar represents a different part of Spain; from Seville to Ibiza! They offer some seriously good tapas; from pan tumaca to goat cheese croquetas.
Hope you enjoyed my list of the 5 quirkiest restaurants in Dubai!